THE COSSATS FACTOR IN THE PROCESS OF FORMING UKRAINIAN IDENTITY IN THE DONETSK REGION

Abstract

The article offers a reinterpretation of the Cossack factor in the process of shaping Ukrainian identity in the Donetsk region within the framework of the frontier paradigm. The study analyzes the settlement patterns of southeastern Ukraine, historically known as the «Wild Field», emphasizing the long-term interaction between sedentary agricultural communities and the nomadic steppe world. It is argued that Ukrainian Cossackdom emerged as a result of complex and prolonged interactions among ukhodnyky, brodnyky, Zaporizhian Cossacks, and representatives of Tatar Cossack traditions, forming a distinctive frontier identity.
This frontier identity combined military mobility, economic adaptability, collective values, and a high degree of social equality, which played a crucial role in integrating diverse population groups and establishing a stable Ukrainian presence in the region. Special attention is paid to the impact of the Russian Empire’s colonial policy in the late eighteenth century, which aimed at THE COSSATS FACTOR IN THE PROCESS OF FORMING UKRAINIAN IDENTITY IN THE DONETSK REGION Ju. V. Sytnyk Uman National University O. M. Sytnyk Bogdan Khmelnytskyi Melitopol state pedagogical University dismantling Cossack autonomy, reshaping the ethnic structure of the region, and imposing the concept of a «triune Russian nation». These policies led to the gradual deformation of Cossack identity and the marginalization of the Ukrainian historical narrative in Donbas.
Based on demographic data and historical sources, the article demonstrates that the Ukrainian population remained dominant in significant parts of the Donetsk region despite intensive imperial colonization projects. The application of historical limology, frontier studies, and postcolonial approaches makes it possible to overcome imperial historiographical stereotypes and to reinterpret Donetsk region as an integral part of the Ukrainian historical and cultural space.
The relevance of this research is particularly significant in the context of the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war, as it contributes to the decolonization of historical memory and reinforces the understanding of Ukrainian identity in southeastern Ukraine.